Minitrue: Less Misery, More Patriotism in Rio Reporting

The following censorship instructions, issued to the media by government authorities, have been leaked and distributed online. The name of the issuing body has been omitted to protect the source.

Do not report on the miseries of Olympic athletes; report more on [their] patriotic spirit. (August 17, 2016) [Chinese]

Chinese coverage of the ongoing Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro has focused more on the quirks and travails of individual athletes than on winning gold. The focus has in large part been driven by 20-year-old swimmer Fu Yuanhui, whose honesty and exuberance on CCTV has made her a star. In one interview, Fu blamed her “small arms” for her failure to medal in the 100-meter backstroke final. When the reporter told her she had in fact won bronze, Fu could not hold back her smile. A few days later, after Fu’s team placed fourth in the 4X100-meter relay, she was doubled over in front of the cameras. “It’s because my period came yesterday,” she explained, winning cheers from Chinese women on social media.

Some Chinese athletes, especially table tennis players, have chosen to play for other countries in order to have a shot at the Games. At the New York Times, Andrew Keh and Kevin Quealy reported that among at least 44 Chinese-born table tennis players in Rio, only six are on the Chinese team. The sport is so competitive in China that many athletes only find their way to the Olympics by leaving the country. Li Ping, a Chinese-born athlete playing for Qatar, told the Times that the chance to compete matters more than which country one represents.

Since directives are sometimes communicated orally to journalists and editors, who then leak them online, the wording published here may not be exact. The date given may indicate when the directive was leaked, rather than when it was issued. CDT does its utmost to verify dates and wording, but also takes precautions to protect the source. See CDT’s collection of Directives from the Ministry of Truth since 2011.